Lessons for Life
Three Months Ago.....
"Mommy...is it bad to tell a lie?"
"Yes it is. Mommy and Daddy will always love you no matter what you do son. Even if you did something bad, we still love you. If you lie to us, we will be very sad, disappointed and angry. If you tell the truth, we may be angry at what you did....but we won't be angry at you."
"What if I do something horrible?"
"We will still love you if you tell us the truth."
"Even if I go to jail?"
"Well, I know that MY son would never do anything bad and go to jail. But yes, even if you did.....you would still be my son and I would still love you. As long as when I asked you, you told me the truth."
"I love you Mom"
"I love you too baby."
Fast forward to yesterday.
I am upstairs and the boys are downstairs playing. I hear a loud noise and the baby starts crying. I come down the stairs and the baby is wailing and holding his hand over his eye. Taliban 1 is in the corner looking guilty. I pick up the baby, give him a hug and examine his eye. Definitely bruised.
Tali 1 comes over and stands in front of me. I can feel the anger rising up and he is about to get his behind whooped.
"What happened?"
"Mom, can I tell you something?"
"What?"
"I was holding the ball and I threw it and hit Tali 2 in the eye."
"Was it an accident or did you do it on purpose?"
"I did it on purpose."
"Look at your brother's eye. How do you think he feels?"
"Sad" **his voice starts breaking**
"If you were the little brother and all you wanted to do was play with your big brother....and then he threw a ball and hit you in the eye...would that make you feel good?"
"No" **starts crying**
"Go upstairs to your room and wait for me."
So I give T2 some hugs, put some ice on his eye and then get him settled. I take some deep breaths cause I have to give the beating....and I head upstairs.
"Mom, are you mad at me?"
"Yes"
"But Mom, you said if I tell the truth, you won't be mad at me."
SSSSScccccccrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeccccccchhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"That's right son. **deep breath** I am angry at the fact that you hit your brother for no reason. I am NOT angry at you. I love you."
He starts crying. Gives me a hug.
"Can I go downstairs and tell T2 that I am sorry?"
"Yes...and give him a hug."
"I'm sorry mommy. I was a bad big brother."
"I trust you to watch your brother. We are a family, we DO NOT hurt each other. We protect each other. Do you understand?"
"Yes mommy. Even though I am bad....do you still love me?"
"Yes. I still love you."
I come downstairs and they are both hugging and playing like nothing happened.
In my day, I would have gotten the back hand slap. Problem solved. Now I am punked.
Who's raising who around here?
"Mommy...is it bad to tell a lie?"
"Yes it is. Mommy and Daddy will always love you no matter what you do son. Even if you did something bad, we still love you. If you lie to us, we will be very sad, disappointed and angry. If you tell the truth, we may be angry at what you did....but we won't be angry at you."
"What if I do something horrible?"
"We will still love you if you tell us the truth."
"Even if I go to jail?"
"Well, I know that MY son would never do anything bad and go to jail. But yes, even if you did.....you would still be my son and I would still love you. As long as when I asked you, you told me the truth."
"I love you Mom"
"I love you too baby."
Fast forward to yesterday.
I am upstairs and the boys are downstairs playing. I hear a loud noise and the baby starts crying. I come down the stairs and the baby is wailing and holding his hand over his eye. Taliban 1 is in the corner looking guilty. I pick up the baby, give him a hug and examine his eye. Definitely bruised.
Tali 1 comes over and stands in front of me. I can feel the anger rising up and he is about to get his behind whooped.
"What happened?"
"Mom, can I tell you something?"
"What?"
"I was holding the ball and I threw it and hit Tali 2 in the eye."
"Was it an accident or did you do it on purpose?"
"I did it on purpose."
"Look at your brother's eye. How do you think he feels?"
"Sad" **his voice starts breaking**
"If you were the little brother and all you wanted to do was play with your big brother....and then he threw a ball and hit you in the eye...would that make you feel good?"
"No" **starts crying**
"Go upstairs to your room and wait for me."
So I give T2 some hugs, put some ice on his eye and then get him settled. I take some deep breaths cause I have to give the beating....and I head upstairs.
"Mom, are you mad at me?"
"Yes"
"But Mom, you said if I tell the truth, you won't be mad at me."
SSSSScccccccrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeccccccchhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"That's right son. **deep breath** I am angry at the fact that you hit your brother for no reason. I am NOT angry at you. I love you."
He starts crying. Gives me a hug.
"Can I go downstairs and tell T2 that I am sorry?"
"Yes...and give him a hug."
"I'm sorry mommy. I was a bad big brother."
"I trust you to watch your brother. We are a family, we DO NOT hurt each other. We protect each other. Do you understand?"
"Yes mommy. Even though I am bad....do you still love me?"
"Yes. I still love you."
I come downstairs and they are both hugging and playing like nothing happened.
In my day, I would have gotten the back hand slap. Problem solved. Now I am punked.
Who's raising who around here?
posted by 1969 at
5:27 AM
10 Comments:
LMAO.. man oh man this is sooooooooooooo familiar!!!! LOL
*hugs* its ok ma.. :) we teach them the lessons and when the actually learn them and apply.. although we are happy they learned the lessons we still wanna beat the snot outta them!!! LOL
Reverse psychology.. *hmm maybe he got a knack for a profession already* LOL
be safe and have a safe trip!
LOL. Yeah, it seems they get us. Hey you chose your battles so to speak.
My almost 17 year old daughter likes to use what I said back at me and I correct the lil chic at times. Then I pause later to myself and damn she did listen. But then I realize she thought she got when really I reversed it back.
T1 learned more of a lesson with a spanking. So next time when he does that thing, remind him before you have to beat him. LOL.
I've been the victim of the children jedi mind trick before. Lil smarty pants!!!!
Back in the day, you know you would've gotten your backside to' up. Our parents were beat first, ask last.
That was too cute! Was it logic that he used, or did he run game on you to keep from getting a beat down? This is what makes parenting so fun and a great "remember when" story.
That was sooo cute!! And definitely a life lesson. I need to file this away in my "when I have kids, I will do this..." file.
That's so cute. How do you even get mad when they are so cute. That's a good one. Also, it is good that you did not solve it with a backhand. Controversial, but I do not necessarily believe that you always need to solve problems with your children that way.
You got a genius on your hands there LOL!! He's no dummy...believe you me!
BK Diva...he has a knack for psychology....most definitely! LOL
Shai...they really are smart and resourceful. Throwing my own words back at me. Lil Smarty pants.
Fresh...I was the recipient of many a beat down. My parent's NEVER asked or talked about what I did...they just beat me. I don't know if that really works. :)
I'm still bad.
Erica...I think it was both. I felt hoodwinked.
PAJNSTL...I can write a book of these! I will save it for ya.
MizJJ...yeah...a beating needs to be for the right offense. It sometimes does more harm than good.
Roycee...what's funny is he acts JUST LIKE ME. LOL
Aww he's a cutie and a smartie! Keep your eyes peeled for T1! That was smooth! LOL.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home